collective gardener
Well-Known Member
Just a quick small test result for the group.
I've been running 12 - 1000 watt Digilux HPS's, and 4 - 1000 watt Pulse Start MH's with Phantom Digital Ballasts for 6 months now. All the lights are air cooled with a 740cfm fan cooling 4 lights...2 daisy chains of 2 lights. I metered the lights after the first week's use, and again today, 6 months after the first test.
The Digilux HPS's have only lost 5% - 6%. However, one of the 12 actually lost 25%. I'll rule that one out as a bad bulb...replaced it after test. I'm VERY happy with that. This is the first time I've used Digilux's. I've beed a Horti guy since they were born. Before that, Agrosuns. I chose the Digilux because the digital ballasts were reported to damage the old Hortis. Needless to say, I'm glad I chose the Digilux bulb.
The Pulse Start did not do as well. They were chosen for much the same reason. We wanted a bulb designed for digital ballasts. They are the 6.4k and run 24 hrs/day. These have lost 20%+. To be honest, I was never really happy with their performance to begin with. I have one Daylight Blue MH ran by an old mag ballast. (I didn't want to take a chance frying a $200 bulb with a digital ballast). I run the Daylight Blue when I need some extra veg lighting. That thing out performs the Pulse Starts big time. It produces faster growth, WAY tighter node spacing, and drives roots out of the bottom of the rockwool blocks days before the Pulse Starts do. I didn't light meter the Daylight Blue because it's only used once in a while. I'll be replacing the Pulse Starts with Daylight Blues and just take a chance with the digital ballasts.
I'd highly recommend the Digilux HPS Bulb. It provides more initial lumens than the Hortilux, and loses very little light with time. I'll test again in 3 months. Hortilux now makes a light compatable with digital ballasts. I may try one someday, but, for now, I'll stick with what is working.
Stay away from the Pulse Starts. I think I'd buy an old school cheapo MH before I used another Pulse Start. If you want superior veg performance, and don't mind spending some extra $$$, the Daylight Blue is amazing. The spectrum graph is pretty impressive, but the actual growing performance is wonderful.
I hope this has been helpful. I'm not trying to start some big power thread. But, if anyone has bulb experience they'd like to share, this may be a good place to post.
I've been running 12 - 1000 watt Digilux HPS's, and 4 - 1000 watt Pulse Start MH's with Phantom Digital Ballasts for 6 months now. All the lights are air cooled with a 740cfm fan cooling 4 lights...2 daisy chains of 2 lights. I metered the lights after the first week's use, and again today, 6 months after the first test.
The Digilux HPS's have only lost 5% - 6%. However, one of the 12 actually lost 25%. I'll rule that one out as a bad bulb...replaced it after test. I'm VERY happy with that. This is the first time I've used Digilux's. I've beed a Horti guy since they were born. Before that, Agrosuns. I chose the Digilux because the digital ballasts were reported to damage the old Hortis. Needless to say, I'm glad I chose the Digilux bulb.
The Pulse Start did not do as well. They were chosen for much the same reason. We wanted a bulb designed for digital ballasts. They are the 6.4k and run 24 hrs/day. These have lost 20%+. To be honest, I was never really happy with their performance to begin with. I have one Daylight Blue MH ran by an old mag ballast. (I didn't want to take a chance frying a $200 bulb with a digital ballast). I run the Daylight Blue when I need some extra veg lighting. That thing out performs the Pulse Starts big time. It produces faster growth, WAY tighter node spacing, and drives roots out of the bottom of the rockwool blocks days before the Pulse Starts do. I didn't light meter the Daylight Blue because it's only used once in a while. I'll be replacing the Pulse Starts with Daylight Blues and just take a chance with the digital ballasts.
I'd highly recommend the Digilux HPS Bulb. It provides more initial lumens than the Hortilux, and loses very little light with time. I'll test again in 3 months. Hortilux now makes a light compatable with digital ballasts. I may try one someday, but, for now, I'll stick with what is working.
Stay away from the Pulse Starts. I think I'd buy an old school cheapo MH before I used another Pulse Start. If you want superior veg performance, and don't mind spending some extra $$$, the Daylight Blue is amazing. The spectrum graph is pretty impressive, but the actual growing performance is wonderful.
I hope this has been helpful. I'm not trying to start some big power thread. But, if anyone has bulb experience they'd like to share, this may be a good place to post.
